Saturday, July 28, 2007 Roperos: A concerned Congress By Godofredo M. Roperos Politics Also
HARDLY had President Arroyo placed on the congressional lap the responsibility of giving her enabling legislations that would realize her vision of a developed Philippines in 20 years when members of the local and foreign business communities listed bills they believe “would greatly help the country achieve higher levels of growth.”
Consequently, we suddenly have the 14th Congress being hit with a double whammy of demands for it to work doubly hard, too.
The situation should be taken as something new to Congress. Having had the luxury of having unbridled control and use of their time, our lawmakers are now faced with the reality of the President and businessmen knocking on both doors of the congressional houses.
The President, in her State of the Nation Address, presented them with her bill of particulars for a successful presidency. Then the nation’s local and foreign business groups followed.
Their proposed measures include a request for lawmakers “to put up an ad hoc committee on competitiveness, which should be composed of key committee chairs that would advise the Senate and the House on such legislative agenda” that could, in a way, parallel the President’s own.
Thus, the burden of pushing and fulfilling the national momentum of growth shifts now from the shoulders of the executive branch to the legislative. By this token, the eyes of all Filipinos ought to focus on the activity and participation of each lawmaker in pushing for the passage of each item in the agenda.
Truth to tell, the average constituent has long been wary of the legislative branch that does not seem concerned with its performance. Congress has long projected the public image of a branch of government that struts with the gait of one who holds no candle to any other government agency save the President. Its members assume the attitude that each one is responsible only to himself, his politics, and his constituents.
The business groups “also asked for laws that would rationalize taxes on financial sector, fiscal incentives and restrictions on foreign investments.”
They believe the laws would strengthen the country’s competitiveness and increase its growth and social development. They feel that such “positive conditions present great opportunities for the Philippines to build on recent gains and push the gross domestic product growth…higher.”
A cohesive, focused and decisive Congress is needed.
